Apparatus for constructing multi-piece carton pre-forms

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for constructing multi-piece carton pre-forms, comprising a wrap member supply hopper, a wrap/pre-form conveyor, a glue station, a web placement and compression station including a web supply magazine and a reciprocating placer, and an output station. The apparatus processes paperboard pre-forms which are subsequently erected into cartons for fresh produce and the like. An improved packaging member conveyor is also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.08/326,590, filed Oct. 20, 1994.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to packaging apparatus and methods, and moreparticularly to an apparatus for constructing pre-forms for cartons. Thepre-forms have a low profile which makes them best suited for storingand shipping. The pre-forms are later erected into cartons of the typethat are particularly useful for packaging produce such as fresh fruitsand vegetables.

2. Background Information

Paperboard cartons or containers are an important packaging vehicle forvegetable and fruit producers worldwide. Tray-style paperboardcontainers are an especially important packaging option for growers ofstrawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries and tomatoes becausethey function as on-site, initial packaging means, shipment means and asretail packaging means. The containers are sturdy, stable when wet,stackable and are not fully enclosed to permit filling, contentsinspection, and ventilation. This type of container also providesimproved external panel spaces for high quality graphics printing andadvertising.

The erected cannon is rectangular, somewhat flat, open at its top andhas a pair of compartments. The cannon comprises a relatively wide trayor wrap member, and at least two web or panel members at the ends of thewrap. In addition, one web may be placed in the middle of the wrap toseparate the container into two compartments and two webs may be placedproximate the middle to enable the carton to be split into two smallercartons. Other embodiments of the subject containers are disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,116,290 and 5,316,207, assigned to applicant'sassignee. Importantly, all of the above described carton embodiments areerected from a substantially flat carton pre-form. Carton erecting isrelatively easy and fast and may be accomplished manually or with theuse of a simple tool. The advantage of this is that the pre-forms arecompact and easy to store and transport.

A feature of the cartons which is significant with respect to their modeof construction, is that they comprise several separate and distinctcarton components or blanks. The components are brought together andattached to form the substantially flat pre-carton or pre-form. The flatpre-forms are compact and easily stored and transported. They areerected into a completed carton at a later time, often at a locationremote from the assembly location.

The multi-component design of the cartons places significant designlimitations and requirements on machinery for assembling pre-forms. Forexample, the individual components must be brought into precisealignment or defects will likely be present in the carton. The apparatusof the present invention provides a means of automatically constructingtray-style carton pre-forms such as those discussed above. The apparatusprocesses pre-forms at relatively high speed. The apparatus is unitaryand compact, and therefore provides advantages in terms of shipping andlayout on the premises of the user. Importantly, the apparatus is ableto process multi-piece carton pre-forms accurately and reliably.

The only known apparatus for constructing cartons such as thosedescribed above is the VERTIPACK™ Machine, manufactured by Applicants'assignee, Riverwood International Corporation of Atlanta, Ga. TheVERTIPACK machine operates in both a cartoning mode where pre-forms arefully erected into cartons and in a pre-form mode where pre-forms areoutput. The apparatus of the present invention is believed to provide asimpler, economical alternative to the VERTIPACK Machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus for constructingmulti-piece, low profile, substantially flat, carton pre-forms. Thebasic apparatus comprises: (1) a first blank (wrap) input mechanism,preferably a hopper, (2) a second blank (web) input mechanism,preferably a magazine, (3) means to place and affix at least one secondblank on each first blank, preferably a reciprocating placer, and (4) aconveyor mechanism operatively disposed adjacent the first blank inputmechanism and the means to place and affix. The conveyor mechanismtransports first blanks from the first blank input mechanism to themeans to place and affix, and to an output location or station.

In another aspect of the invention a conveyance mechanism is providedfor use in a packaging system, the conveyance mechanism comprising arevolving endless member having a forward longitudinal run, alongitudinally reciprocating carriage member connected to the endlessmember, the carriage member having means to engage and disengage apackaging member, and means to control reciprocating movement of thecarriage member and to control the means to engage and disengage.

The features, benefits and objects of this invention will become clearto those skilled in the art by reference to the following description,claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an end view, taken from the right side of FIG. 1, of theapparatus.

FIG. 3 is a top, plan view of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a detailed side view of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the wrap feed and locating pin section of theapparatus.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the section shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the section shown in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 8A and B illustrate a view projection looking straight up the weblanes of the web magazine.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the wrap magazine and glue sections of theapparatus.

FIGS. 10A and B show an adjustable carton set up tool.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a wrap and two panels.

FIG. 12 is a top view of a completed blank or pre-carton constructed bythe apparatus of this invention, with a wrap and three attached panels.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fully formed carton which is erectedat a later time from the blank constructed by the apparatus of thisinvention.

FIG. 14 is a chart showing the relative activation states of variouscomponents of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The apparatus of the present invention automatically assemblesmulti-piece packaging container blanks or carton pre-forms fromindividual carton components. The components are attached to one anotherby the apparatus to yield a substantially flat carton pre-form 10 andthe pre-form is then output from the apparatus. The pre-form 10 is latererected into a completed carton at another location, for example on agrower's premises, without the use of the apparatus.

FIG. 11 shows select individual components or blanks of one embodimentof the carton. FIG. 12 shows the paperboard carton pre-form 10 formed bythe apparatus of this invention from the blank components. FIG. 13 showsthe carton 11 which is later erected from the pre-form 10. The erectedcarton 11 is rectangular, somewhat flat, open at its top and has a pairof compartments 12. The carton 11 comprises a relatively wide wrapmember 13 and three web or panel members 14. A middle web 14 separatesthe compartments 12. Each wrap 13 has a flat base 15 with foldablemembers 16 and pass through apertures 17, front and back sides 18 withapertures 19 defining top and bottom edges 20, and connection slots 21in fold-over tabs 22. The web panels 14 have top and bottom long ends23, front and back short ends 24a and b, bottom notches 25 and top tabs26. Glue strips 34 are deposited on foldable members of the wrap 13.Each web 14 is placed so that one side of its bottom long edge contactsthe glue strip 34 of a foldable member. The webs 14 are placed flat withrespect to the wrap. After a predetermined compression and cure periodon the order of one second, the webs 14 are moved to a vertical positionand the sides of the wrap 13 are folded over the web 14 short end sothat the connection slots 21 mate with the web tab 26 and comers of theweb 14 to form a locked completed carton.

The apparatus of this invention may be modified to construct pre-formsfor a variety of canons including those with no middle web, a singlemiddle web and two middle webs.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the apparatus 30 is supported by a rigid frame31 which has a generally square configuration as viewed from the top.The frame 31 design provides a unitary and compact machine which is ableto be shipped substantially assembled. This reduces shipping and set-upcosts. Attached to the frame 31 is an electrical enclosure 36 whichhouses various power and control components of the apparatus 30. Themechanical systems of the apparatus 30 are preferably powered by asingle approximately 1.5 horsepower electric motor 37 and the vacuumsystems of the apparatus 30 are preferably powered by a vacuum pump 38.

The basic structure and function of the apparatus 30 are as follows. Theapparatus 30 has a pair of input locations for loading of cartoncomponents, namely a tray or wrap hopper 32 and a web magazine 33. Theoverall apparatus 30 configuration places these input elements 32 and 33within convenient reach of the operator. The apparatus 30 has an outputstation 35 for discharge of carton pre-forms 10. A conveyor assembly 26cyclically transports an individual wrap 13 from the wrap hopper 32,over a flat product deck 41 through a closely spaced glue station 39 ata predetermined speed for deposit of glue thereon, and to a web feedingand compression station 40 where movement of the wrap 13 is halted for apredetermined time period. At this station 40, webs 14 are deposited atthe station and attached to each wrap 13 to form a carton pre-form 10.The conveyor 26 then transports the carton pre-form 10 from the webfeeding and compression station 40 to the output station 35.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 9, the wrap hopper 32 includes a roller base42, a retainer 43, and a vacuum pick mechanism 44. The wrap hopper 32holds a vertical stack of flat wraps 13. Wraps 13 are loaded or inputfrom the top and picked and fed or output from the bottom of the hopper32. The roller base 42 provides a low friction surface across which thebottom-most wrap slides after it is grasped by the vacuum pick mechanism44 and engaged and moved by the conveyor 26. The vacuum pick mechanism44 has one or more, in this embodiment three (3), vacuum pick cups 45the movement of which are controlled through connections to a laterallinkage assembly 46, vertical arm 47 and control cam assembly 48 and thedrive motor 37, via interconnected, commonly known drive gear andlinkage components. The vacuum cups 45 are communicatively connected tothe vacuum pump 38. Importantly, the roller base is preferably angled atapproximately 15 degrees relative to a horizontal plane to reducepressure on the bottom-most wrap blank 13 caused by the stack of blankslocated on top of it.

Referring also to FIGS. 5-7, 9 and 14, the conveyor 26 engages a wrap 13at the wrap hopper 32. It then pulls the wrap 13 forward under the gluestation 39 where glue is deposited in predetermined strips as discussedabove. The conveyor 26 continues to pull the wrap 13 to the web feedingand compression station 40 wherein two or more webs (three (3) webs 14are shown in this embodiment) 14 are placed on the wrap 13 andcompressed for a predetermined time period, for example approximatelyone second, to allow the glue to cure and bond the webs 14 topredetermined foldable components of the wrap 13. The wrap 13 andconnected webs 14 are subsequently pushed to the discharge station 35for output.

The conveyor 26 basically comprises a single chain 81 disposed aboutdrive 82 and idler 83 sprockets, a transfer carriage 84, and a locatingpin mechanism 85. The chain 81 has an upper forward run of apredetermined length and an associated guide structure 94, and a bottomreturn run. The transfer carriage 84 is disposed immediately below thelevel of the product deck 41 and above the upper run of the chain 81.The transfer carriage 84 is laterally elongated and is communicativelyconnected to the chain 81 by a single carriage drive bearing 86. Thetransfer carriage 84 is conveyed longitudinally, forwardly and isreturned at the same vertical level along the forward and return travelpaths of the chain bearing 86, respectively. The carriage 84 has a firstdwell period at the upstream end of the conveyor 26 where a wrap 13 isengaged from the wrap hopper 32, and a second dwell period at theplacement and compression station 40 where the wrap 13 is disengagedfrom the carriage 84 and engaged by the locating pin assembly 85.Subsequent the later dwell period, the carriage 84 is reciprocatinglyreturned to the upstream end of the conveyor 26 by the action of thebearing 86 traveling along the bottom nm of the chain 81. The carriage84 dwell periods correspond to the bearing 86 vertically ascending anddescending along the chain travel path in carriage cam tracks 91 and 92.

The carriage 84 has a plurality of vertically aligned engagement membersor fingers 87 and a plurality of discharge pushers 88 which areconnected to the carriage by a lift arm 89. The fingers 87, when raisedat the upstream end of the conveyor 26, engage the wrap 13 atpredetermined apertures thereon, and pull it longitudinally forward. Atthe placement and compression station 40, the fingers 87 lower and thedischarge pushers 88 disengage the pre-form 10 from the carriage 84. Themovement of the fingers 87 and discharge pushers 88 is controlled by thedual lobed lift block 90, which is connected to the chain 81, contactingthe lift arm 89.

The locating pin assembly 85 comprises a pair of vertically movable pins93 which raise to engage the wrap 13 at the placement and compressionstation 40 to precisely locate and stabilize the wrap 13 duringplacement of the webs 14 on the wrap 13. Alter compression, the pins 93retract to permit the now formed pro-form 10 to be pushed downstream onthe product deck 41 by the next wrap 13 indexed by the carriage 84. Therelative and synchronized actuation states of the carriage 84, fingers87, web placer 60, and locating pins is shown in the chart of FIG. 14.

The glue station 39 comprises two or more glue guns 52, in thisembodiment three (3), disposed in side by side alignment at apredetermined height above the conveyor 26. Laterally, the guns 52 areadjustably positioned so as to deposit linear strips of glue (notshown), of a predetermined length, on the moving wrap 13 at locationswhich correspond to the connection thereon of the bottom edges of thewebs 14, for example along the glue tabs 34 of the wrap 13. The glueguns 52 are connected to and receive glue from a supply system 53. Dueto the design of the hopper 32, conveyor 26 and glue guns 52, the gluestation 39 is allowed to be closely spaced to the hopper 32, whichenhances the compactness of the apparatus 30.

Referring also to FIG. 8a and b, the web feeding and compression station40 comprises a web feeder/compressor 60 which places webs 14 in positionon the wraps 13 and holds the webs 14 in place with a predeterminedpressure to permit glue bonding. The web feeder/compressor 60 isattached to parallel spaced pairs of coupled frame members 61a and b,the web magazine 33, and a vacuum actuated reciprocating placementmechanism 62. The placement mechanism 62 comprises a first pivot shaft63 laterally, fixed to the frame members 61, a pair of first arms 64which are pivotally attached at their lower ends to the first shaft 63,a connector 65 pivotally connected to the opposite end of the first arms64, and a pair of second arms 66 including a slide channel 67 which isslidingly and pivotally coupled to followers 68 mounted to the ends of asecond shaft 69 which is fixed to the outwardly extending end of theframes 61. This assembly 62 is driven by arm 65 which is connected at abottom end to the control cam assembly 48 and at a top end to one firstarm 64 via a connector 70. At least two pairs, in this embodiment three,of vacuum actuated engagement arms 71, of a design known in the art, arefixed to the second shaft 65 by a connection bar 74, each pair of arms71 being assigned to one web holder or lane 72 of the web magazine 33.Each arm of the pair 71 has a cup-type vacuum engagement head 73 forcontact with the web 14. The arms 71 are communicatively connected to aknown vacuum control mechanism, and to the vacuum pump 38. Incooperation with the vacuum control mechanism, the placer 62reciprocatingly engages two or more webs 14, in this embodiment three,from the magazine 32 and by arms 64 and 66 pivoting about the shafts 63and 68 respectively, and via sliding movement of the followers 68 in thechannel 67, picks the webs 14 from their initial angled position in themagazine 33 and moves and places them in a final horizontal position incompressing contact with a wrap 13 disposed in the web feeding andcompression area 40.

FIGS. 10a and b show a set up tool 99.

The descriptions above and the accompanying drawings should beinterpreted in the illustrative and not the limited sense. While theinvention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodimentor embodiments thereof, it should be understood that there may be otherembodiments which fall within the scope of the invention as defined bythe following claims. Where a claim is expressed as a means or step forperforming a specified function it is intended that such claim beconstrued to cover the corresponding structure, material, or actsdescribed in the specification and equivalents thereof; including bothstructural equivalents and equivalent structures.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for constructing multi-piece,substantially flat, paperboard carton pre-forms, comprising a firstblank input mechanism, first blanks consisting of foldable wrap members,a second blank input mechanism, second blanks consisting of panelmembers, means to place and affix at least two of said second blanks oneach of said first blanks, a conveyor mechanism operatively disposedadjacent said first blank input mechanism and said means to place andaffix, said conveyor mechanism transporting said first blanks from saidfirst blank input mechanism to said means to place and affix, and to anoutput location, and a glue deposit mechanism for depositing glue trailson at least two predetermined locations on said wrap members, said gluetrails being for affixation of said panel members to said wrap members,said glue deposit mechanism being disposed adjacent said conveyormechanism said means to place and affix being a reciprocating placer,said placer comprising a frame, a reciprocating arm assembly attached tosaid frame and disposed above a second end of said conveyor mechanism,and at least two vacuum actuated pick and release contacts coupled tosaid reciprocating arm assembly, whereby said two vacuum actuated pickand release contacts grasp said panel members from said second blankinput mechanism and move said panel members into position on one of saidwrap members disposed on said conveyor mechanism, place said web memberson one of said wrap members, in contact with said glue trails, compresssaid panel members for a predetermined glue curing time period to yielda substantially flat pre-form, and release said panel members.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said first blank input mechanism is a wraphopper, said wrap hopper holding a plurality of flat, horizontallyoriented wrap members and outputting said wrap members from a bottomarea thereof at a predetermined angle.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein said predetermined angle is approximately 15 degrees elevatedfrom a horizontal plane.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said wraphopper comprises a low friction roller base and vacuum driven means topick and move one of said wrap members from said hopper bottom.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said conveyor mechanism comprises arevolving endless member having a forward longitudinal run, alongitudinally reciprocating carriage member connected to said endlessmember, said carriage member having means to engage and disengage saidfirst blanks, and means to control reciprocating movement of saidcarriage member and to control said means to engage and disengage.